As a beauty journalist and all-round beauty lover, I’m quite spoilt for choice when it comes to which skincare and makeup products I want to wear. But while I’m sure that some people enjoy mixing and matching the products in their daily rotation, I’m a creature of habit and tend to stick to formulas that I already know and love. However, when it comes to certain products, I’ve found that a little experimentation is key—SPF being one such example. Of course, I totally understand the importance of wearing sunscreen daily—and bang on about it constantly to friends and family—but I’ve had quite a journey finding an SPF that I truly love and is suitable for my skin tone.
Because here’s the thing: As someone with dark skin, it can be really hard to find the right SPF. Not only do I have to consider whether the formula itself will be a good fit for my skin type, but I also need to make sure that whatever sunscreen I apply won’t leave a white cast all over my face. Honestly, there have been several occasions where I’ve tried an SPF that explicitly states that it’s suitable for all skin tones only to apply it and find that it looks ashy on me.
For this reason, I’m always willing to try out as many sunscreens as possible to save friends and family who too have dark skin tones the hassle. And just a little PSA to beauty brands here: Please, please, take the time to see if your sunscreens are actually inclusive of all skin tones, as everyone should be able to enjoy the same number of options for sun protection.
